Kerala: Political leaders rally in support of Megastar Mammootty against hate campaign over two-year-old film

Political leaders, including Education Minister V. Sivankutty and KPCC president K. Sudhakaran, rallied behind Mammootty, condemning the attacks and expressing solidarity with the actor.  

Political leaders, including MLA Shafi Parambil, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, Minister V Sivankutty, and Youth Congress state president Rahul Mankootathil, have united in response to the hate campaigns directed at actor Mammootty. They have publicly voiced their support for him and addressed the issue.

Superstar Mammootty has faced criticism on social media two years after the release of his Malayalam film "Puzhu," following an allegation that the film insulted the upper caste community. Political leaders from various parties have shown solidarity with the actor, setting aside their political differences.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, in a post on Facebook, said that Mammootty cannot be confined to the compartments of a religion or caste, adding that vested interests are doing so with a clear political agenda.

“Mammootty is being Mohammed Kutty only in the contemptuous minds of those hate campaigners,” he said.

Education Minister V. Sivankutty took to Facebook, sharing a photo of himself with the actor, accompanied by a caption declaring, "Mammootty is Malayalees' pride."

KPCC president and Congress MP K. Sudhakaran condemned the attacks on Mammootty, stating that targeting him in the name of religion would bring shame to Kerala on the global stage.

"Mammootty is a secularist..There is no obligation for him or the people who love him to talk like this. So he is not a man who fits into any caste category of individuals. Kerala may not be the old Kerala, but Mammuka is the old Mammuka," said Rahul Mamkootathil.

The controversy sparked when Sharshad Baniyandi, husband of Ratheena P. T., the movie's director, stated in an interview with an online media channel that "the movie had insulted the upper caste community."

Sharshad questioned why Mammootty accepted the project and questioned whether he had thoroughly reviewed the script. Additionally, he alleged that one of the scriptwriters, Harshad, was an "extreme Islamist."